Russian corporates seeking to send staff to France face a dramatically tougher visa landscape this summer. Data compiled by AK&M and released on 27 June 2026 show that the number of multiple-entry Schengen visas issued to Russian nationals has plunged by 90 % compared with summer 2023. French and Spanish consulates—long popular because of their historically generous issuance policies—have almost stopped granting one- or two-year C-type visas except to applicants with impeccable travel histories.
![French consulates slash multi-entry Schengen visas for Russians by 90 %, issuing mostly single-entry permits]()
To help companies adapt to these stricter rules, VisaHQ offers a streamlined application platform that continuously tracks French consular requirements, prepares all supporting documents, and books available appointment slots on your behalf. Their portal—https://www.visahq.com/france/—lets mobility managers monitor multiple cases at once, reducing the risk of costly rejections and saving valuable time when last-minute travel is unavoidable.
French visa-appointment slots in Moscow and St Petersburg are now fully booked until late August, forcing companies to route travellers through third countries or to stagger assignments. Where visas are granted, they are often single-entry and limited strictly to stated travel dates, eliminating the flexibility that multinationals rely on for last-minute meetings or emergency maintenance visits. The shift follows the EU’s renewal of restrictive measures linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and new Schengen Visa Code guidelines that emphasise ‘foreign-policy coherence’. France has adopted the maximum scrutiny allowed, conducting additional checks on funding sources and itinerary credibility. According to Moscow-based immigration lawyers, rejection rates have climbed to 28 %, and applicants are frequently asked for proof of accommodation payment in advance, contrary to past practice. For French companies with subsidiaries in Russia—or Russian firms attending trade fairs in Paris, Lyon or Cannes—the impact is immediate: project timelines must now account for unpredictable visa lead-times, and the cost of repeated applications has doubled. Some corporates are turning to France’s Talent Passport long-stay visa for key personnel, but that process requires labour-market testing and takes up to three months. Mobility managers should audit travel pipelines, prioritise employees who still hold valid multi-entry visas, and explore remote-participation options for non-critical meetings. Where physical presence is essential, lodging visa requests via jurisdictions with lighter queues—such as Kazakhstan—may buy a few precious days, though the underlying policy shift suggests that single-entry ‘mission’ visas will remain the norm for the foreseeable future.
To help companies adapt to these stricter rules, VisaHQ offers a streamlined application platform that continuously tracks French consular requirements, prepares all supporting documents, and books available appointment slots on your behalf. Their portal—https://www.visahq.com/france/—lets mobility managers monitor multiple cases at once, reducing the risk of costly rejections and saving valuable time when last-minute travel is unavoidable.
French visa-appointment slots in Moscow and St Petersburg are now fully booked until late August, forcing companies to route travellers through third countries or to stagger assignments. Where visas are granted, they are often single-entry and limited strictly to stated travel dates, eliminating the flexibility that multinationals rely on for last-minute meetings or emergency maintenance visits. The shift follows the EU’s renewal of restrictive measures linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and new Schengen Visa Code guidelines that emphasise ‘foreign-policy coherence’. France has adopted the maximum scrutiny allowed, conducting additional checks on funding sources and itinerary credibility. According to Moscow-based immigration lawyers, rejection rates have climbed to 28 %, and applicants are frequently asked for proof of accommodation payment in advance, contrary to past practice. For French companies with subsidiaries in Russia—or Russian firms attending trade fairs in Paris, Lyon or Cannes—the impact is immediate: project timelines must now account for unpredictable visa lead-times, and the cost of repeated applications has doubled. Some corporates are turning to France’s Talent Passport long-stay visa for key personnel, but that process requires labour-market testing and takes up to three months. Mobility managers should audit travel pipelines, prioritise employees who still hold valid multi-entry visas, and explore remote-participation options for non-critical meetings. Where physical presence is essential, lodging visa requests via jurisdictions with lighter queues—such as Kazakhstan—may buy a few precious days, though the underlying policy shift suggests that single-entry ‘mission’ visas will remain the norm for the foreseeable future.
More From France
View all
Biometric Entry/Exit kiosks at Dover and French airports will stay offline all summer, raising fears of September cliff-edge
French air-traffic controllers’ 24-hour walk-out grounds 933 flights at the start of the summer rush
